Trolley catcher and retriever.



No. 952,9 v PATBNTED AUG.18, 1907. J. L. 2 13mm. TROLLEY GATOHER AND RETRIEVER.

APPLICATION FILED FEILQl, 1906.

' s SHEBTSSHEET 1.

No. 862.934. PATENTED AUG 13, 1907.

J. L. PERKINS. TROLLEY OATS-HER AND RETRIBVER.

APPLIUATION FILED PEB.21, 1906.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2v No 3 2 934 PATENTED AUG. 13, 1907.

J. L. PERKINS.

TRQLLEY OATOHER AND EBTRIEVBR.

AP LICATION TILED FEB.21,1906.

3 3 SHEETS-SHBET 3.

, the United States of America, residing at Springfield Fig. 9 is a partial suctionnl'vicw oi the rcztiisido of tlic J1 gTATEFa his. senses. Specification of :CATCBUAYR AND BETBIEVER.

Letters Patent.

Patented Aug". 1907.

.ipplicationfiled February 21,1906. Serial No. 302,197.

To alt whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, JULIAN L. PEnKiNs, a citizen of in the county of Harnpden and State of Massachusetts, have invented new end-useful Improvements in Trolley Catchers and Retrievers, of which the following is it specification.

This invention relates to trolley-catchers and retrievers for automatically preventing the trolley-head or pole from injurin the net-work of overhead wires when the trolley-wheel jumps the wire and is suddenly thrown upward by the expensive force of the spring on the car which controls the trolley-pole; and its object is to provide a construction which will permit the trolley-pole to iollow any unevenness of the trolley-wire or movements of the car, and at the some time if the pole should accidentally leave the wire to quickly rotrieve or draw the some back before any injury would be done to the overhead wire construction.

A further object is to provide a construction whereby one spring will allow the trolley-rope to work freely up and down with the movement of the pole, and if the trolley-wheel should accidentally leave the wire to bring into operation a stronger spring that will instantly draw the pole back again below the horizontal plane of the overhead wires.

A still further object is to provide an automatic catch or stop that will. when the trolley-catcher and retriever are placed in position on the car, release thev winding-drum so that the trolloy-ropc will freely ioll low the movements of the pole and will automatically lock the drum against rotation when the winding and retrieving device is removed from the our in order to prevent the drum from winding the rope-onto the same and iillowing the device to lly up against the hand of the conductor. This automatic cntcli also locks the dc- Vice in place on the czir as (lescribcd in dclnil below.

In the accompanying drawings forming port of this application, Figure 1 is a sectional side clcvution of the catchment] rctricvcr on line .ll Fig. 2, with the closiug cap rcn'iovod and showing the automatic lock for the winding-drum or barrel which contains tlicstrongcr sprin Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the lino 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of u burrcl which contains the stronger spring for rctricviug the trolleypole and also showing the autoinzitic looks or puwls mounted thereon. Fig. 4 is :1 top plan view of Fig. 3. Fig 5 is a vertical sectional View on line 55, Fig. 4.

Figs. 6, 7, and 8 show the various positions of the automatic lockduring the retrieving action of the device.

device showing the automatic catch in dotted lines for preventing the winding-drum 'flOlll. rotating when the retriever is rcmovediron) the cur. This figure indicates the position of the catcher and retriever when the same is first placed on the holdingring on the car, and

\IillO sliding-bolt '2} snups.

boioreit is rotated in the (lii'cction ol' the arrow to loci: the some in place. Fig. 10 indicates tluposition oftho trolley-catcher and retriever alter the snmc is locked in position on the holding-ring on the our by the untornatic catch.

Referring to the drawings in dot-nil, u dcsignutos a portion of the car to which the trolloy-catclwr and rctrievor are nttochcd; b di-signntcs thc holding-ring on the car having it rim or ol'l'si-t portion 0. 'lluinterior of this portion a has a locking edge or clnunu-l (l for rocoiving the holding lugs c on the rim 0' on the rcair czistiugf. These lugs e are adapted to lu' l od through the (flllout portions or clninncl openings 5/ in tllu holdingwing o lcading to the locking edgior clnuincl (I. This n-ur castingfhas rigidly secured at its L'lllli'l u llilli} or stud [L which is securely screwed into iliocnstiug oi the threads '5, as shown in Fig. 2

Extending loosely through lhc cnslirigfis u lockingpin j which has scoured nt its oulcr cod .1 holding or retaining spring I: in uidcl' lo poi-mil the pin j to lureiulily willulrnwn from tho sloox'in1. loosely uiounlcd on tho ilHll or stud 7/. spring u is uttuchcd at its inncr end to [he slH-Yc m and ils (Illlll' end is .lllzll'llMl (o n i'opc windingslrum o for the irol lcy-ropc p which pluys through on opening p in iluuppcr purl, ol llucasing. lKlll'lllg on the stud :u h two guide flanges r and r.

(n1atcqui-dislnntpointsin lln-Hungerol'tliewiiuL ing-di'uiu o ul'c notches for receiving the holding or lll(l'illlj f l)lll 1. lo pron-iii llullilllllujl oi ilndrum 0 when llw device is removed from llH cur. and which is opci'nicd by the spring w lo nornmlly di'nw liupin! downwnrd inlo rho non-hos x; lullv wlu-u the slidingcs' Iluiliichoucd porlion 1" (son Figs. 2 and 91 o1- llumnrslmpcd ring I on Ilulioldiugrn'iug b, ilw pin is clouded und in 'lliis slowiis bolt 1 out,

Figs. l

. 2.11mi UM by nn-uus o1 screws or rivets 7 ln icgrzxl Will] the sliding-hull 1' is u slcui Z ullnclu-d lo iluhead 2 which curries llupin t. lnnncdintcly uliovo tho spring II is u rin ii for pl'cvcnting the spring I! from rising. it is thus soon tliut ho roundcd lower cud ol the sliding-bolt i: (whcn in cngngonn-nt with the thiclccIu-d poi'iion 1: ol' the ring in") is i'uiscd and l'rocs tlic pin I from the notclu-s s permitting the drum 0 to rm'olvc. It will bc ll lll'l(l that this tliiclu-ncil purl v oi the liol, li11gi'ing lms n lug or lioss ii" (sol: Fig. 5)) over which 'lhis lug or boss in securely holds ll'ro dyvicc in phurc on the cur. The liolt o is snnopcd over the pnrt it by giving thc device it quick rotary nnwcincnt ziiul l'clcnsod tlicrcli'oin by El. quick inovcnicnt in the op osite direction.

Looscly mounted on the ouicr end of the bolt 01' stud fby means ill) l iiarrel -l on the pin 12.

l 1?, is much is ,25 23, (as clearly shown i;

45 word into locking engagement I1, is a spring barrel 4 composed ol :1. cup or (T-shaped part 5 and A plute 6, the latter being secured to the cup or (l-shaped part 5 by the screws 7 (see Fig. 3).

On the inner surfzu'e ol' the rope \viiuling-druni e are 5 out a series oi inclined holding mtchets 8 which, nor- ,rn-.illy,-whon the trolleyro nplays lrecl y up and down in unison with the movement of the our lightly strike the S-shzrped locking-pawl 9 on the upturned end, 10 thoreoi, The pawl f) is pivotally moui'rted in the spring A strong spring 13 within the barrel 4 has its bent in nor end nttaehedto the bolt or stud h by means of a slot 1 1 in the. outer end of the stud it while its outer end is Attached to the barrel 1 byii pinor stud 15 This spring onger than the spring n.

Pivolully cured on the outer lane of the havri'l 4 is it puwl or trigger it to which is pivotally secured a spring-retained piece 17: by means of the pivot 18 and spring 1.). This piece 17, {XS shown, stands nearly at 20 right angles to the pawl '16 which is piviinlly secured to the barrel 4 by u pin 20. The spring-retained piece 17 has an (werluinging lip 21 to engage the edge 22 oi the barrel. The S-shnped pawl carries integral with it :1 lug Figs. 4, l3, 7 and 8) which works in cut-out opening :23 (see Fig. 3) of the bar-- ml 4. The upper curved surface of the lug 23 is adapted to engage the overhanging lip 21 at point 24 (see Fig. 4) when the pawl 9 is thrown upward into Eligitglnfillt w th one of the mtchets 8 on the windingdruiu 0 (see Fig. 7). This lug, by its engagement with tho part 24, retains the parts 16 and 17 in the elevated position shown. i

Normally, when the trolley-rope plays freely up d down the pawl lion in the pouition shown in Fig. 6, the upturned port 10 thereof beinglightly struck by tho'end of the rotohets 8 on the rotating drum 0 but not hard enough to throw the end 9 of the pawl ll into engagement with the rii'tehets 8. However, should the trolleyhead accidentally leave the wire, thirst-aiming the drum 0 torotztte much faster than its normal speed, the upturned part 10 of the pawl 9 would receive asharp, qnic c blow from the mtchots 8 on the rotating drum causing the pawl 9 to be instantly thrown upwitli the littChQtS 8, as clearly shown. in Fig. 7; the 1115523 will at the some time come into engagement with thespring-rotained piece 17 on the overhanging lip bl atithe point 24. When the parts are in this position, the tension of the strong spring 13 within the barrel it is thrown onto the winding-drum 0 giving it a quick {rotary movement in the direction opposite to that whom" the trolley-wheel leaves the wire and'witli the tension of the comynrotivcly Weak spring n w'hieh controls tho windingdrum o, The barrel 4 and the drumo lining thus locked together make one or more complete revolutions in. the

opposite diretion with the parts in position, sis shown in Fig. 7, thus instantly drawing the trolley rope back before the pole can strike any of the overhead WllG-B.

In practice, the barrel 4 is wound up so that the drum 0 makes four complete revolutions in the opposite dimotion to draw in the trolley rope.

It will be noticed that mleckingdug 25 isintogra-l with the pawl 16, This lug, in its normal position,

when. the car is running, rests in the notch .26 of u.

holdinglisk 27 which is seizured to the bolt or stud ii by means of a. washer 28 and a st-screw 29, and prevented from rotating by two holes 27 hall of which is in the disk 2'7, as shown in Fig. 3. A pin is inserted in this hole 27 to lock the disk 27 to the bolt 71.

After the parts have been thrown into the position shown in Fig. 7, the pawl 16 and the spring-retained piece 17 remain in the position as shown in Fig. 7, and as the barre 1;. rotated one or more revolutions in the reverse direction in order to draw in the trolleyrope, the lug 25 on the pawl 16 is held from engaging the outer surface 30 of the holding washer 28 on ac: count of the lug 23 being in engagement with thopart. 24 and rot-tins the some in this position until one or more revolutions in the reverse diroetion'are com pleted, depending upon the amount the spring 13 is wound, when it drops by gravity into contact with the outer surface 30 of the holding disk 27; then the slioulders 31 on the rear of the ratchet teeth 8 engage the inclined surfaoo 32 on the rear side of the pawl 9 iorc ing the pawl 9 downward against the tension of the spring 19, whioh connects the parts 16 and 17. During this operation the lug 23 on the pawl 9 passes by the temporary holding point 24. on the lip 21 on the piece 17. Y

The length of the pawl 9 and the distance between the holding rate-hots 8 on the drum 0 is such that in the normal up and down operation of the trolley-r0 .9, the pawl 9 will have time to he forced back below the ratchets 8, without being caught, by the light spring 33. This spring has one end attached to the lug 23 and its opposite and to a stud or screw 33, while its middle portion is coiled one or more times around the pin 35, as clearly shown in Fig. 8. It is to he understood that this spring 33 normally koepstho S-shnped locking-pawl 9 in thoposition shown in Fig. 5 but permitting the mtehets 8 to lightly strike the and 10 without looking the some to the drum 0. When n sudden upward movement of the polo'oceun; the pawl 9 becomes locked with the first holding rhtehot 8. The opening 23 prevents the lug 23 from rising only a certain distonee, the lip 21 allowing the lug 23 to pass when the parts are locked together. The spring 33 in the oar-rel 4 draws the'rops in until the log 25 drops into contact with the disk 27; the partlfi falling by gravity. The amount that the spring in the barrel 4 draws the rope in below the trolley-wire depends upon thedegree of. tension plzieed thereon by the conduetor, as stated below.

In the opomtion of the device, the trol'leyro pe p pluys freely up and down nccording'to the movements of the troliey-pole, the spring "/2. riot being strong enough to pull the trolley-hood 0i wheel off from the overhead wi a, but should ii sudden upward rnov "merit of the trolley-pole occur, when it suddenly leaves the overhead wire, the upturned port 10 oi the lockingpowl 9 will be given 0. sudden blow and instantly the free end of the s-dhaped locking pawl 9 will be thrown upward int-0 the path of the ratchets 8, as shown in Figs. 5, 7, and 8, thus locking together the spring-l arrel 4 and the windingrlrum 0, whereby the snring 13 immediately exerts its expansive iorcltogether with thotof the weaker spring in, to draw inthe ropo 32. It is to be understood that the spring 13in wounchor placed under tension ,hofoze the cor starts or whenever film trolley-WIT 0m relating the lmrrcl 1 bask (ls by the lug engaging lzlie notch 26 iii 0 disk 21 At the. moment that the locking-pawl 9 is tinwwu into l0; i ag'cnlcut with ilic lfliffllill 8, lbs lug lean; 'uoich 2G, and the pawl .l with its lug 23 thereon passes by the lip Zl ol the piew 17. The arts re muin inlthis position until the spring barrel 4 -nnlces one or more revolutions in the direction opposite to that given to it by the trolley pole flying above for waving in the llOllQ/JOZEQ p, and at the end of one or more revolutions, auvorlliug in the number of tinlps that this sp ing 13 Wound up by the cunductor- The part 16, at Sue and of one or more revolutions, drops back by layit into Contact with the outer surface 30 of the holding disk 27. It. is to be undeistoocl shat; at this point the spring 13 has bemmn so noun-1y unwound that the part 16 Q5221 drop back by gravity into the nolclrlZfi. The inclined shquldfi'sill on the lil llfileiii 8 than the part. 32 ol the pawl 9 :mdthe lug 23 isforced against the overhanging lip 21 and snaps the locking-pawl 9 against the t ensinu of the spring 19 back into its inilinl pnsimon, as shown clearly in Figs. 3 and. 4. This ogiemtion is accomplished by the springn revol /ing the (in: l 0 in the normal dire; lion, lhafi is to wind the mp0 3) onto H10 drum 0. Jilin this operation orcurs, the conductor grasps the trolleyrcpe drawing in upward one or more revolul-imls for the purpose of i e-Winding the spring 15, until ll'lelug 25 (ll-ops into the notch 26; the llrolley-ropu is i lmri free is work up and down against the tension of the weaker spring 11 thus 'p rxnitting the bonrlurtor in again place tho trolley-head in position on the ovm'lmad wiro Wlwu llie device is again ready for mwllavr sorir-s oi oporzrlions. It should llfi slzvlml that lwloro lllv r-oulluc or rewimls Ll'lO spring l3 in tho lmrrol 4', it is nm'o. lry lor him to give a quick upward pull on the rope plolliflm purpose of engaging Q10 pawl 9 with the ratchet, 26]

when by a stondy upward pull on the rope '1,- the lmn r l 4 and drum 0 ("an be given ourr more rovolutilms as may be necessary to placc th spring 13 under the re quirull tension The lug 25, at the owl of each revolution, in vinl'ling the spring lS'glrops into mi non-l1 Z5 lull, is 'iL'lQil-Hiil thorulrom oy (*ouliuuml winding. ii is usual, in pram-i06 to romln (he burr-ml 1 and (ll-uni 0 four complain rnx'oluiions and thou ullmv the lug lo rvmain in llu now-h 26 which holds the spring 2 3 mu -zlor tension. ii'pou Trimming Llu': upward pull on the:

:uluplmi IO llfi srciiroil t0 fin: ur :1 main rusting, n sturl or bolt FlfK'lll'l'll at ou cml l0 tlu: rusting, a drum. u an. luzn one and being; urvnLto the casting and ihv other lo Hm i -|1 rrvl min luhly mounted upon sail: lmll', or Wixliln sulrl barn-l having: one lllll svcurml o; in inn (and of the stud and its opposite 0m] to the lmrrol. n sci-ins of run-m s in \llo interior of sail. drum. :1 nuu'l on Hrs swim-barrel, HlliCi mtchetfi normally 0nug-lug H20 pawl so that the fl and of the mwl runs Hum of Hr mflrlmlm but upon sudden mo'mmeul of the llrmp llw uprlnufimrrel and drum are locked together, and nmaus fur lmslnz'; file pawl from (he drum In 1. (lea-loo oi the class d rllmml. n lmldlugq-lnz, a rusting; having moans or l( clll .0 mm? H) i110 holdingrlug. u mud or 01: rigidly secured :11 one end to the (main; and rm: n slot in the outer end of the same, a drum, s nrlniz one and of which is ulturhed. to the casting 9nd ll wnoslte ml to the drum, :1 mrrelya spring: Wlllllfi sold hut-rel, one and :11 which iv inserted in the alnl, of the smd u the opposite and is urlnelurd tn the nuwr purl: of the lmri'ol, u pawl plvnlully mounted between the sides of the lmrrvl uzul lmrlng :lll uplm'nwl and lllfli normally of tho barrel \"rlillfi itsv other .pnery of UM: suum, 0. spring for holding the upturned and of said pnwl nnrstud,

drum for rotating said pawl for locking the drum and lmrrrl low-flier. I

ll. In n (levlcu of lllfi class (lfliifrl'lllfll. a holding-ring, n was-tiny, 1 lug luvaus for locking H10 sume to the holdingg, a mud or bolt rlgldly sm-urml ut one and to Hm l-usllngz ll nuvlngr u s'lol, in the outer end of the same, r1 druin, :mrlm: one end of which is utlnclmd to the cast :-a opposll=: un-rl to the drum, a barrel, [1 spring mirnln sum ban-rel. unrum? 01 whlrli'ls lizserfeal in the slot ul lno slml null lzlv opposlie end is atlnvhecl in the oulor ml-i: oi (he lmr' -l u puwl plvntally umuntels, belwvon l'lm skies of the cl ,aml lmvlug mi upgumcll end llllll uu'mnlly projen? u'ouvo the periphery 01' the barrel \rhlln its other and l flush with the perlpl ery of file sumo, :1 sprlm: For homing the upturned end of said pawl nor-mull ulmvo lllQ periphery of the lmrrel, inul means on (ho fllillli for Marin said pawl for lockingthe drum and lmrrvl logvlllm' s rnlvlmis on llm m for relvuslng :lhn pawl and drum 7. ln :1 trolley-runner and retriever, a ;-zdl11::-rlng, a "n 1. :1 mm Sii'll. l'u suld 0 hug and nus/lug a slOi'. in its miller and, :1 drum rolulub ly mounted in said Stud. :1 spring rounvclwl lmlwmu the smiling aml (lrum, n series: of run-hum ull llw 'ulm' )r of llm drum, :1 locking; pawl uduplml to vng'ugo sulll run-hols lllC- length. of (111 pawl lmiuy, less llmu lllu a: Jim-u lmlwe 1 two sucucsslvfl roll-Irvin. :i 1:: ml llKfllGll on (he or ur and of suld stud, u lsllliilf; mm wind lM-wmm thv lm m1 stud, L'or pivulz: low ply-mull s lo loo trigger and arranged with ommnl fiili H lui loz-l-tlnt: pawl. an? moans on lls'e llll'lillEl-l pawl for ,mlmllug :Vlue slum ln lru-klng engagement will: tho mil-hols of ill:" drum umil rc'mxsml lay the locking pawl in u ll'ovluo m The! I! Inscribed, a (1mm, 1:: series or run-lama thereon. :1 lm; ll 9. mwl plvotully mounted in :m oyu-nlug llt'lW'iCfl tlm Mules thereof and nuhsmnilully S-shupv in form. one l'lHl of the pawl lining normally uimvllue rwrlplu-ry of tho barrel and ll the path of the movvmoul of the ruir'livis on the drum the free end of lllo mwl helm: llllllllf-Hfl so no lo lm'lc the, Windinglll'lllll :xml lmrrol logr-lhor when one and of the pawl rvvvlws 2m :ilmornmi blow thereon.

1). hr u IlPVll'l. of tlu; class lG-Slflllllld, mmum for ururlng lh: Huuio I." :1 llxml Suppl-m1, :1 Hlllll l'or roluluhly Hupporh in u (u-um uml u laurrnl. mu drum and lmrrol, u Rprlng lo-"lml lu-lwlwu the drum and n HllJVQ on llll stud, u s 2 lomlml ln tlm llill'll'l, ouo (fill lmlm; :wr-urwl to tin Silllljlflll lhc opporlitn em! to lhr- (llllll' part of the Hnmv, llulust mvntlonml sprln; hula ol grunlm' ulrunglll llmn .lln- Ill'Hl uwnllom-d Rprlng', a wasllmlizwln: a Tl(|l('ll ln llw u-rlplwry of l snum mu? on the oulur vml or llm sllul, um] HF-Um l'or provuullng rolniian 01 the washer, 11 Hr id mmus mmulsilng of n surlps o? rior of the winding-drum. and means pivotally secured to the barrel and normally engaging the notch in thewaeher, u spiingretuiimd piece pivotally Rocurod to the trigger and having a lip at right angles thereto, a notch cut in one of the sides 01' the barrel, a pqwl pivulally mounted between the sides of the barrel and having :1 lug thereon and adapted to enter the notch in the side of the plate a: the barrel, :1 spring located be tween 21 fixed pin on the barrel and the lug oi the lockingpnwl, said locking-pawl being substantially Sshape in form and normally held so that one end thereof is abovethe periphery of the barrel while its opposite end is below the periphery of the same, n. series of ratchets in the interior of the drum and normally delivering a light blow to one end of the lockingqmwl, said spring on the spring-barrel permitting the locking-pawl to become e71 eewse gamed by the ratchets of the winding-drum when an abnormal hlow is delivered to the same, said locklng-pawl under the influence of the spring in the spring-barrel r0- iating the winding-drum in nu oyposite direction until the pawl on the outer face of the springlmi'rel rengages the notch in the holding-washer and the lip on the spring retained piece permitting the lug on the locking-pawl. to pass by the same, the near side of said ratchet engaging the lotkim, pawl whereby the same is disengaged from the ratchets of the \vindine drum as described.

JULIAN L. PERKINS.

Witnesses WM. H. CHAllN, K. I. CLEMUNS. 

